Commissioning a Piece
Laying out joinery for barred doors in walnut.
To Begin
Commissioning a piece is an exciting and rewarding experience. It all starts with an idea.
I like to get a good understanding of what my clients are trying to achieve. From the style of furniture they like and the era it emerged from, to the other pieces in the room and how it relates to it’s environment. The tones and grain of the timber, the available lighting and the desired function of the piece are all important considerations when it comes to the design process.
Bespoke pieces are not comparable in cost to mass produced or store-bought items, but with that investment you get options. The option to select things that cannot be bought from a store. From exact size, colour and tone, to detailing, secret compartments, and level of gloss, all these are discussed and ultimately chosen by YOU. This is also coupled with the guarantee of appropriate quality joinery, which ensures the longevity of your desired piece. Whether you decide it be exposed dovetails and mortise and tenons or sleek waterfall mitres and blind stub tenons, you can rest assured that the quality of construction is second to none.
Throughout
Once the design has been agreed upon and deposit has been sorted, a full scale drawing of the piece is drawn and shown to confirm details, and then construction begins.
Premium quality and sustainable materials are extremely important to me, so these are always discussed up front with options of exotic and rare materials where appropriate. These can include individual salvaged trees with a story or small amounts of highly prized materials.
Keeping the client up to date with the progress of their piece is important so I generally create a custom hashtag on instagram to follow along on social media. This is always followed up with texts and phone calls when small decisions are needing to be made as the piece evolves.
Delivery and installation is always optioned for peace of mind so your item will arrive unscathed and in premium condition.
Fitting ship-lap backing in white oak.
Half blind dovetails, split turnings and raised panels in walnut.
Costing
The part that no one likes to discuss. Well lets get off on the right foot. By commissioning a piece, your supporting local small business’. The majority of my suppliers of timber, hardware and upholstry are family owned, independent companies, who are truly passionate about their products and strive to supply the best options to selective makers like myself.
Pricing can start from $1000 for small simpler items like stools, steps and side tables, then start to increase for keepsake boxes, small cabinets and can run up to the likes of $50k for complex installed pieces.
These are all rough figures though, so please get in touch for a personalized quote on your dream piece.